aboutSTFF

Inaugurated in 2012 by the TACAWA Film Committee, Seattle Turkish Film Festival has become one of the most admired and venerated events of the Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington. The film festival is a non-profit, volunteer-driven event, committed to bringing the best of Turkish films to Seattle in an effort to provide an international platform for talented filmmakers working in both short and feature length formats to showcase their work.

Read Washington State Governor Jay Inslee's Proclamation of Turkish Republic Day and Turkish Heritage Month.

Proclamation

About

MEET THE TEAM

SIRIN AYSAN

Festival Director

Sirin Aysan is a television producer and filmmaker. She has produced acclaimed series and specials for major broadcasters and streaming platforms. Sirin has covered stories around the globe and is the recipient of the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for her work on “Child Brides” for PBS. The television programs she has directed have been nominated for Emmy, Prism, and Telly awards. As a film lover, she is very excited and honored to be a part of ever-growing Seattle Turkish Film Festival.

EZGI IRMAK YÜCEL

Short Films Director

Graduate student of Psychology at the University of Washington, Seattle. Studies visual perception and sight restoration. Likes orcas, KEXP, and of course movies.

DEMET KITIS

Director of Programming

Demet studied business in Turkey with Master's degrees in Marketing. Enjoys drawing cartoons and illustrating stories. Loves the 7th art.

Team

SELIM KURU

Organization Advisor

Selim S. Kuru is an Associate Professor of Ottoman and Turkish studies in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilization at the University of Washington.

PINAR MERTAN

Director of Partnerships

Pinar studied law at Istanbul
University and worked as a legal counsel and sworn translator for Siemens in Istanbul. She's organized many cultural school fairs and events, and is a certified medical interpreter and court interpreter in Washington State.

EBRU YILDIRIM

Event Director

Growing up watching Yesilcam (what Turkish film and art industry was called in old days) movies, Ebru believes Turkish cinema still has many interesting, mesmerizing, powerful stories to tell and share. She helps with marketing and special events for the festival. On her spare times she works as a Financial Analyst.

OZGUR ARMAN

Does Everything

Film enthusiast. :)

MURAT DABAOGLU

Volunteer Director

Murat went to Istanbul University studying Tourism And Hotel Management and pursued further education in the US on Diversity Management, HR, Spanish. He has lived in the Greater Seattle Area for almost 17 years and considers it home. He is one of the main sponsors and volunteer coordinator of the Seattle Turkish Film festival.

Partners